98 Per Cent Biodegradable Pen
This video got me thinking… as a trained journalist, who also spends his time writing down people’s food orders, I wonder how many crappy, plastic, and toxic pens I’ve used in my life? How many have I carried at the beginning of my day, only to find them gone at the end? How many have I scribbled on a scrap piece of paper to see if they still worked, only to get annoyed and throw it out anyway? I first found the DBA pen while looking at a cool “back to college” slide show by treehugger.
DBA 98 Biodegradable Pen from DBA on Vimeo.
Seriously, if you ponder this video and the idea of DBA’s 98 per cent biodegradable pen and your history with cheap, plastic pens, the number that crosses your mind will be preposterous! And to think, you’re only one person…
People will probably think, okay, this is getting ridiculous already! Pens? How can the pen I use make a real difference? My thinking is this: small ideas like DBA’s pen are exactly what can turn the tide towards a more sustainable existence. (See a great run-down of current pens and the process of DBA’s new pens here.)
We currently don’t think about the things we consume, and this has led to the current unsustainable existence we are now living. So stop not thinking! Start thinking about everything you purchase, eat, steal or whatever. Where does it come from? How’s it made? Who makes it? What it’s made of?
Even if it’s just a pen.
Books: The Geography of Hope
The Geography of Hope: A Tour of the World We Need
Chris Turner
Vintage Canada, 2007
When Calgary based Chris Turner published his tour of the world we need back in 2007, the shelves at your local bookstore were filled with humanities failures, and collapses. Frankly it was nothing short of depressing. I’m of course playing the percentages here, but I do spend a lot of time in bookstores. What I’m saying is this: Christ Turner’s The Geography of Hope was at one point a bit of an anomaly, in that the book is exactly what it states. A tour of hope. Turner isn’t joking when he says a tour. He visits whole municipalities, cities, and companies loaded with individuals dedicated to sustainability across the world, from the United States, to Europe and India.
I’ll say that again. Individuals dedicated to sustainability.
Best Post I’ve Seen From the Past Week
Below is a link to by far the best post I saw all last week. If you look at no other posting, or news article today, make sure it’s this one.
David Harvey rips New York a new one (be sure to check out the econopocalypse link in the post).
Also, peak at this crafty little innovation found at inhabitat called an ECObitat, an easily constructed eco living structure which can be ingeniously transported, think of natural disasters and other population displacements, that tend to be very destructive to the surrounding environment. Eco friendly homes and structures are becoming a mainstay in architecture, see my earlier post on the Fab Tree Hab as well.
Growing Your Home
Disclaimer: Due to the alarming forward thinking of the below proposal, viewers may experience nausea, headaches, and overall sickness for the homes you live in, etc.
Okay, all jokes aside, this is quite possibly one of the coolest and definitely is the most ecological friendly building method I’ve ever seen. Just for the record, this is real. It’s not a joke and has been in the works for a few years.
Times They Are A Changing
Alright, so let’s get serious, its been nearly forever since I last posted on the site. My apologizes for that. However, in the very near future, be ready for a more constant stream of updates. Obviously, since being home, my line to information concerning the topics I’ve covered throughout these online pages has changed. Therefore I will be slowly switching my focus towards the environment and sustainability in hopes of someday bringing together the old with the new, in terms of sustainable and environmental international development.
Let’s start the switch with a link to a very interesting and popular YouTube video entitled: The Story of Stuff. Thanks to my pal and colleague Duncan for the link to this great clip. If you have 21 minutes I highly suggest watching, like the one million plus people who already have.
There will be a constant stream of photos, both along the lines of the previous topics and some new images from Canada.
Also, stay tuned to the books section as I will continue to do some reviews on the books I’ve been reading, on issues that I feel are important and current.
Stay tuned for Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter updates (and easier streams to those sites from here) as well.
Now take those 21 minutes!
Using Music as His Weapon
by: Devin Holterman
original post: October 7, 2009
Olivier has used music to help heal the wounds from his troubled past. Now, he's reaching out to others as well.
During the first listen to Oliver Kavuste’s music you will become lost in the young Rwandan musician’s talents and sound. A few of his songs are indeed in English but the majority, which talk of great pain and healing, are in his native tongue Kinyarwanda. Spend some time with Olivier and you’ll enter the life of many of Rwanda’s youth who generally spend their time working, studying and praying.
“Music has changed him. It has given him some sort of base in his life, and has brought some great skills,” Ingrid Inema, Olivier’s sister, said. Read the rest of this entry »
Update from Rwanda
I’ve recently been in touch with John Gasangwa. You may remember him from a previous story about the school he’s founded in Rwanda. See the story here.
He’s moved to Colorado where he’s furthering his studies at Colorado University. The school in Rwanda is still being maintained and continues to grow.
“The children ministry is booming! Bowls of porridge are still served every single day of school,” he said.
Great news John!!!
OLPC Post Picked Up
Hey all,
My piece and slide show on One Laptop Per Child in Uganda has been picked up by a news blog following the project, called www.olpcnews.com, the blog has no ties with the project itself but directly focuses on the development, impact and critisims of the OLPC project as a whole.
Check my article out here.
Also, be sure to check my flickr account in the coming days as I will have many new shots from the coast of Kenya. Remember the link is just to the right of this page.
Also, it shouldn’t be much longer until I have completed some lengthy, detailed work, so stay tuned.
Hope all is well.
- Devin Holterman
Origins Reconsidered
“Origins Reconsidered: In Search of What Makes Us Human”
Richard Leakey & Roger Lewin
Abacus
1993
In the revised edition of Origins, Leakey and Lewin touch up their much heralded theories and interpretations of the origins of mankind and the evolutionary chain of our species.
The writing takes you through the many discoveries of the famed Koobi Fora site and numerous other sites of Northern Kenya’s Lake Turkana. Arguably the most important and famous find being that of the nearly complete Turkana Boy, which Leakey explains in a simplistic, easy-to-read style that draws the reader in, as opposed to the more regular scientific readings, loaded with names, dates, and challenging vocabulary.
The book covers a range of topics related to finding the origins of man and the track in which man walked (no pun intended) on the evolutionary path. Focusing on bipedalism, the position of the larynx for better speech methods, the development of relationship and community within early species of man and of course the development of culture. Throughout the book many arguments are presented and Leakey by no means expects his readers to mark his theories as the be all, end all of the search. At times, he admittedly questions his own theories and treads on thin ice, especially when it comes to the naming of new species along the evolutionary path.
This well written work not only offers a great image of the ever-heated debate of our species origins, but it also offers a wonderfully descriptive look into the life of the field of work and research. One can immediately understand how Richard, and the entire Leakey family became obsessed with the search for our origins.
The Leakey family can again be credited with adding something truly special to the academic and practical world, this is a perfect read for the amateur or just plainly interested reader of the scientific search for the origins of man.
Imitated Canadians and Good Travelers: OOA
Welcome to the second installment of my Out of Africa or OOA column. See the first here.
Written: August 31, 2009
Its been over three months since I boarded a plane headed to London, England en-route to Kigali, Rwanda. Since this time I’ve traveled overland throughout Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya and needless to say I’ve enjoyed and strongly disliked many conversations and stories I’ve heard during many hours of discussion with fellow journalists, travelers, professionals, locals and the like.
I will forever be forced to ask questions of packs bearing my countries flag
Two main topics have struck my interest and I think relate quite well together: the concept of one being a good traveler and the fact that many foreigners (Mainly American as they can get away with it more easily) actually say they’re Canadian while traveling.
Both of these ideas I find quite dumbfounding, intelligent and at times ridiculously dangerous.
“I think Canadians are generally regarded as good travelers,” I was told by a fellow traveler during one of my many overland transit excursions. Needless to say, this wasn’t the first time I was confronted with these words. I don’t recall my response but I’m sure it was something along the lines of:
“Yeah, I guess so.” Read the rest of this entry »
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